Device for detaching horses from vehicles.



R. E. LAWRENCE. DEVICE FOR DETAGHING HORSES FROM VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9.1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Snuzntoz (liken/nu,

2 KPJ Z PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD E. LAWRENCE,

OF OARROLLTON, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR DETACHING HORSES FROM VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application filed July 9, 1908. Serial No. 442,727.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Brennan E. LAW- nation, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oarrollton, in the county of Carroll and State oi Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Detaching Horses from Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which -form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for detaching horses from vehicles and comprises a device of this nature so arranged that the traces may be disconnected from the ends of a swingle tree of a vehicle, in case of emergency or for other purposes.

The invention comprises various details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of my invention to a swingle tree. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modification of the invention, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of parts of the invention.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a swingle tree and B is a metallic clip or cap adapted to fit over the end of the swingle tree, it being understood that each end of the swingle tree is to be provided with a similarly constructed clip. The inner end of said clip has a flange B, and O designates a trace fitted over said clip. Pivotally mounted upon said flange is a trace retaining member D pivoted at D upon a pin carried by said clip and said member is provided with laterally projecting fingers D spaced apart adapted to rest against the u per surface of the clip to retain and hold t e trace upon the latter. A spring of any suitable form is mounted upon said clip and is mounted preferably upon the pivot of said member and serves to normally holdsaid fingers against the upper surface of the clip.

One end of said member is provided with an eye F for the purpose which will presently l appear. A trace releasing member, designated by letter E, is made to telescope over the clip and is provided with an arm E having an eye E at its end. Said rod E has a lug E" projecting therefrom and adapted to engage and be guided in a groove E formed in the surface of the clip. A spring of any form, designated in the drawings by letter E, is adapted to normally throw the rod E toward the end of the clip. Said member E is provided to push the trace oil the end of the clip after the member D is tilted so that the fingers thereon are raised from the clip.

A cord or wire II is fastened at one end to the eye E thence passes toward the outer end of the clip through an aperture J in the swingle treeand thence through the eye F at the end of the member D and extends toward the middle of the swingle tree where it passes through an eye K thence to an angled foot operated lever N, shown in Fig. 1 and adapted to be mounted at any suitable location upon the vehicle. A second cord or wire O is connected to the cord H and is adapted to be connected to a similarly constructed trace holding device upon the other end of the swingle tree.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a slight modification of my invention, in which a pivotal hook Q is mounted in the slotted end of the clip Q upon a pin Q said hook being provided for use when traces with chains or hooks are used instead of the a ertured trace ada ted to fit over the form shown in Fig. 1. n said modification, the hook releasing member, designated by letter T, is pivotally mounted upon the clip and has its two fingers R adapted to be inserted through apertures in the clip and engage one on either side of the projecting end of the hook and so arranged that, when the finger member is titled upon its pivot, the projection of the hook will be released to allow the hook to swing out and disconnect the trace.

In operation, when it is desired to release the trace, the operator by operating the lever N will cause the members D to tilt under tension of the springs bearing against the same and raise the fingers D from the clip. Simultaneously with the tilting of the member D, the cord or wire pulling upon the eye E at the end of the rod IE will cause an outer longitudinal movement to be imparted to the latter and the trace pushed oil the end of the clip, thus releasing the same from the vehicle. In the event of the spring E, which is mounted upon the rod E, not being suflicient to push the trace off the clip, the movement of the rod in the manner shown will be effective and disconnective.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a swingle tree, it Will be understood that the invention may be applied equally as Well in connection With-double trees and vehicles in Which two horses are desired to be disconnected by the same mechanism.

What I claim to be new is 1 A device for releasing traces from swingle trees comprising, in combination With a swingle tree, a hollow socket member fitted over the end'thereor" and its inner end provided with a guide aperture, a spring-pressed trace retaining hook mounted upon said member, means for tilting said hook, a trace releasing member fitted over said socket member and having a shank portion passing i through said guide aperture in the flange of said socket member, an integral projection on the shank portion of said trace releasing member and adapted to be guided in a slot in said member, as set forth.

2. In combination with a swingle tree having an aperture extending through the same, a socket member fitted over the end of the swingle tree and having an apertured flange at its inner end, a spring-pressed trace retaining lever pivotally mounted upon said member and provided With an eye at its end, a trace releasing device fitted over said member and having an integral shank portion extending through the aperture in said flange, a guide lug upon said shank engaging a longitudinal slot in the socket member, a cord connected to the trace releasing device and passing through the aperture in the swingle tree and eye of said hook, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

RICHARD E. LAVRENCE.

Witnesses:

ROBERT MoLAUenLrN, Mrs. RoBT. MOLAUGHLIN. 

